Enfield councillor Nesimi Erbil
Nesimi Erbil was not permitted to drive a black cab months before he was elected – but told the council otherwise
By Michael Daventry
An Enfield councillor declared he was a licenced taxi driver even though his badge was seized months before he was elected, it has emerged.
Nesimi Erbil was suspended by the Labour Party last week after Londra Gazete revealed he had been given a suspended jail sentence for counterfeiting his black cab licence.
This newspaper has since learned the Lower Edmonton councillor’s licence was taken away from him months before he was elected to office, and that he still made a formal declaration to the council to say he held the document.
It has also emerged that since news of his conviction broke, no complaints have been made against Erbil and no disciplinary action has been taken by the council.
REVOKED BEFORE THE ELECTION
Erbil received a four-week suspended prison term for tampering with the restrictions on his black cab badge, which only allowed him to work in certain parts of London.
A Transport for London spokesman said his licence to operate a black cab was revoked when they were informed he had been arrested and charged with criminal offences on 2 May 2014.
But the licence itself had already been seized several months earlier on 14 January, when he was arrested after picking up a passenger in Central London.
Erbil became a councillor following elections on 22 May. He subsequently declared his black cab licence as an interest with the council, even though he had been informed by letter that it had been revoked.
DECLARED AS AN INTEREST
Enfield councillors must disclose interests relating to money in the council’s Register of Interests. As of Wednesday morning the web-based register contained no record for Nesimi Erbil under the “employment, office, trade, profession or vocation” category.
Enfield Council told Londra Gazete that Erbil “declared a black cab licence on his declaration of interest form, [but] it is yet to be updated on the website”.
The online version of the register was last updated in July 2014, indicating Erbil declared his black cab licence some months after he was elected to office.
Erbil could not be reached for comment but last week he denied being given a jail sentence and insisted he was still working as a black cab driver.
FOUR-WEEK SUSPENDED SENTENCE
At Southwark Crown Court last September he received a four-week suspended prison term, eight points on his licence and a penalty fine.
Although Nesimi Erbil was suspended by his party soon after the news emerged last week, Enfield Council confirmed it had received no complaints about his conduct.
The council also confirmed he has not been referred to Enfield Council’s conduct committee, which deals with ethical standards among councillors.
A spokesman for Transport for London, which regulates black cabs in the capital, said: “We were informed by the Metropolitan Police Service, on 2 May 2014, that he had been arrested and charged with criminal offences.
“At this point we revoked his licence. We confirmed the revocation of his licence by letter.”
The spokesman said the taxi licence was seized when Erbil was arrested on 14 January 2014.
